By repurposing the abandoned Baraboo property, U-Haul prevented the use of 1,399 tons of metal manufacturing and transportation (the amount of steel used to make 1,410 passenger cars); avoided 6,485 tons of new concrete pours (enough to create 131 miles of concrete blocks); kept 7,994 tons of construction and demolition debris out of landfills (avoiding 307 dump trucks traveling 6,457 miles); and stopped 8,225,174 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions from entering the atmosphere (the carbon emissions of 631 large SUVs or pickup trucks for one year).”

U-Haul’s recent efforts to promote sustainability through repurposing facilities such as this one are important reminders for sectors in which economy and environment aren’t necessarily thought of as paramount. Although U-Haul employs cargo vehicles that have small returns in terms of fuel economy and thus, emissions, the company has chosen to address their short-comings head-on in a way that makes sense to consumers and is relative to their industry and implements.